


Even Embers Need Air

by LesbeanMom98



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Forced, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Kidnapping, Master/Pet, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rating May Change, Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, Zhao (Avatar) Is An Asshole, Zuko (Avatar) Needs a Hug, for now, kidnapped Zuko, prisoner zuko
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:02:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23306500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LesbeanMom98/pseuds/LesbeanMom98
Summary: After Zhao finds out Zuko is the Blue Spirit, he doesn't hire the pirates to kill him but to kidnap him and make the world think he's dead. When Zuko escapes and flees the fire nation he can only hope that he wont end up in the hands of another cruel captor.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 177





	1. Found Out

The crew was having their music night while I tried to relax in my quarters, key word trying. The air was tense, quiet like waiting on the second shoe to drop and I couldn't figure it out. There was a knock at my door and Uncle walked in.

“For the last time I'm not playing the tsungi horn.” I say in frustration to my uncle

“No it’s about our plans, there's a bit of a problem.” Uncle says with no little amount of worry, confused, I look over just in time to see Zhao walk into my room with an air of confidence. 

“I'm taking your crew.” Claims the man 

“WHAT!” I exclaim, who did this man think he was.

“I’ve recruited them for a little expedition to the north pole.” Zhao said with a straight face

“Uncle is this true?” I turn to my uncle praying to Agni that this was some sick joke

“I'm afraid so, he’s taking everybody, even the cook.” I stared in shock that was quickly turning to anger. Zhao continued talking but I barely heard what he said over the blood pounding in my ears. I rush forward, fully intending to attack Zhao, but Uncle gets in my way. I looked over to where Zhao walked and realized he was looking at my dao swords, the ones I used in my blue spirit persona to free the avatar. The longer he stares at the swords the more twitchy I was feeling. 

“I didn’t know you were skilled with broadswords Prince Zuko.” He said as he picked up one of the swords. He had to know at that moment there was no doubt in my mind but maybe he didn’t, maybe I could still avoid the truth.

“I’m not, they’re antiques. Just decorative.” I say with what I hope is enough conviction to throw him off my trail.

“Have you heard of the blue spirit General Iroh” He says as he speaks to my uncle

“Just rumors, I don’t think he is real.” Uncle speaks stiffly to Zhao, trying to protect me. 

“He’s real alright, he’s a criminal and an enemy of the fire nation. But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him. General Iroh the offer to join my mission still stands, if you change your mind.” Zhoa says as he walks out of my room slamming the door behind himself. Uncle quickly excuses himself to say his goodbyes to the crew and help them pack, as soon as the door closes behind uncle I sink to my knees.

Panic takes over and static fills my head. Zhao was going to do something bad. I just knew it, but what. The room I'm in feels too small, too hot. In my daze I manage to drag myself over to my bed, and after a while manage to calm myself down. I layed on my bed and stared at my ceiling, as the panic dissipated it gave way to anger. I was angry with Zhao for taking my crew, angry with my crew for leaving me, angry with my father for sending me on this fool's quest. I lay there for what feels hours when Uncle comes and pokes his head into my room.

“The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels.” he tells me and a flash of anger comes over me

“Good riddance to those traitors.” I know it's not entirely their fault, Zhao outranks them and forced them to leave with him. 

“It’s a lovely night for a walk. Why don’t you join me? It would clear your head.” I continue to lay on my bed refusing to look at him. “Or just stay in your room, and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy” Uncle closed the door behind him leaving me to my thoughts once again. I was exhausted, having to face the fact that Zhao knew I was the blue spirit. What kind of justice was he meaning, what would he do to me, would he tell my father. I was getting twitchy again when I heard a creak, like a door being opened. I jump out of my bed and creep over to my door and swing it open.

“Uncle? Uncle is that you?” I call out hesitantly, getting no response back. I take up a defensive kata. Was this Zhao’s doing, was he coming to extract justice? I krept down the hallway looking for any sign of an intruder but found none. I make my way to the control deck and look around. My eyes widen when I see an iguana parrot, the same iguana parrot that belonged to the pirates. I spun around prepared to fight off an attack but was knocked down by a net covered in blasting jelly. I struggle to get out of the net as a group of pirates move to stand over me 

“Let me go.” I cried out panic creeping up my spine. Uncle was not here to help me, he had gone on that walk while I stayed here. The pirates whisper above me like I'm some kind of fish they caught, I roll over and try to push myself up when a pirate puts the heel of his shoe on my back in between my shoulder blades, pushing me back down. 

“Now where do you think you're going pretty thing, not very far I hope there is someone who wants you alive so you must be important.” someone says above me, I struggle more trying to get away even if I know it's futile. The foot digs into my back making me hiss in pain, and someone else moves into my line of vision crouching down so they can see my face. I turn my head away only for them to grab my chin and yank it back, forcing me to look into their eyes. They make a gesture to someone else and then my world spins as one of the bigger pirates picks me up and throws me over his shoulder and I yelp in surprise. He carries me out of my ship and another one drops a match on a trail of gunpowder that leads into my ship. I stare in horror as they flee with me in tow and my ship blows up, Uncle had to have seen it and he won't be able to find me, he will think I'm dead. I struggle to get out of the pirates hold even though I am slung over his shoulder, maybe I could get him to drop me. 

“Stop squirming.” Said pirate commanded as he backed it up with a smack to my ass making me jolt forward with a yelp, causing all the other pirates to laugh at my expense. I hide my face in the man’s back and keep still for the rest of the journey to their boat, not wanting a repeat of that or even something worse. When we arrived at the boat the man who was carrying me dropped me on the deck, my head hit the deck with a sharp thunk that made my world go dark.


	2. Chained

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not quite happy with how it turned out and I may go back and rewrite it. I also apologize for taking so long i was hoping I would have it out yesterday but this chapter did not want to work with me.

I was woken up with freezing cold water dumped on top of me. I yelped in surprise and jerked up only to be yanked back down by my neck. I tried to look to see what yanked me down but all I saw was black I tried to blink it away but it stubbornly remained. Still sprawled out on the ground I try to remember the last thing that happened and to think rationally. I was on my ship and my crew left with Zhao, Uncle left for a walk, then there were pirates. They kidnapped me! But they also said someone wanted me. I pause in my thoughts, sudden horror dawning on me. Oh shit. 

“Well it’s nice to see that you awake.” a voice above me says and I immediately recognize it as Zhao, that bastard. Of course he was behind all of this, but what was he gonna do. He said that justice was going to come to the Blue Spirit, is this what he meant? Kidnap me, blow up my ship, make the world think I was dead so no one came to save me? I snarl up in his general direction.

“Let me go Zhao.” I spat out at him. He tutted and I could feel the patronisation oozing off of him. 

“You are in no position to be making demands young prince, or should I say Blue Spirit.” Zhao says smugly. I heard a rustle of fabric, but being blindfolded and chained to the floor left me little room to do anything to protect myself. I felt a hand touch the left side of my face, my bad side. I tense up and try to move away from the hand but it follows me.

“Stay still.” Zhao growls at me causing me to still under his hand. I felt my heartrate pick up slightly as he reached behind my head and fiddled with what I could only assume was the blindfold. The sudden rush of light made me blink my eyes trying to be able to see. Zhao moved his hand back to the left side of my face, the touch making my skin crawl. My vision clears and I see that we are in his captain quarters, and he has made some modifications to it if the chain holding me to the floor is anything to go by. The hand moves to cup my face when I decide I've had enough, I snap at his hand but only miss my inches as he pulls it away. 

“Ah ah ah, good pets don't bite.” He scolds me. I feel indignation at the patronizing tone he used, like I am merely some pet to be toyed with. I am Prince Zuko, not someone’s pet. 

“I am no pet, I am a prince of the fire nation.” doubt crept into my mind at my words, did my father consider me a prince, did he even consider me his own son. I keep my face blank, desperate to not let Zhao see any of my doubts or fears. He looks down on me thoughtfully from his crouched position then moves his hand back near my face

"Now your not in much of a position to be saying much little prince, and no biting or there will be consequences." He tells me the words little prince dripping with honey coated venom. He touches my face again and brings his thumb to my chin, forcing me to crane my neck awkwardly as he makes me look him in the face. I let him think he's won for a split second and give myself a moment to think. What did he mean by consequences, was he going to beat me? Or was he going to do something worse? I mentally shake my head, I can't allow him to think that he can get away with treating me like some common catowl. With this final thought I snap at his hand again and this time manage to catch his hand in-between my teeth. We both pause, with me staring definitely up at him and him looking slightly surprised but it gives way to anger quickly. Before I can react Zhao slaps me upside my head causing me to let go of his hand.

"Now now, I warned you that there would be consequences. Did you listen like a good little pet? No, and now you will be punished." He stands up and walks over to a desk in the corner of the room, opens a drawer and pulls something out. I watch his movements apprehensively as he slowly walks back over to me, the thing he pulled out of the drawer folded up making it impossible to tell what it is. He crouched back down when he got over to me and I finally got a good look at what he was holding, it was a muzzle. He was gonna muzzle me like some damn animal. 

" I was hoping I wouldn't have to use this, but I got it anyways because I know how stubborn you are." He said, I was starting to see him as something less than human at this point. He found joy in others suffering, just like the rest of the fire nation I realize. I turn my attention to the immediate danger that is Zhao and the damn muzzle. 

"I'm not wearing that." My gaze bounces back and forth between the muzzle and Zhao's face. The man just smirks and moves the armored muzzle closer to my face. I moved back as far as I could but the short chain around my neck prevented me from getting away. Zhao grabbed the back of my head preventing me from moving it as he fit it over my face and locked it in place, preventing me from even opening my mouth. I reach my hands up to feel the mask and to try and slide it off, but Zhao slaps my hands away making let out a muffled yelp and glare up at him. He opens his mouth to say something but is interrupted by a knock at his door, making us both pause.

“Admiral Zhao, General Iroh is in the tent wanting to talk to you.” The voice beyond the door said. 

“Okay, I will be out in a minute.” Zhao replies and the footsteps walk away. Zhao looks down at me then stands up.

“You will behave little prince, or you will wish you were dead, just like the world thinks you are.” Zhao growled at me. I glared defiantly back up at him as he walked out of the room, leaving me alone and chained to the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would y'all be interested in seeing Zhao's pov in this? let me know if you would


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long DX. I had to rewrite it a few times because I didn't like how it was turning out, But its out now :)

I study the chains holding me down. The one connected to my neck is about as long as my forearm before it connects to the collar on my neck and the ones connected to my wrist is about the same length as the chain on my neck. I reach my shackled hands to feel the collar hoping for some latch or weakness with no luck. Growling lowly in my throat I move to the armored muzzle on my face reaching behind me feeling for a buckle that I can undo but instead of finding that I find a lock that feels like it would need a key to open. I hung my head in frustration at my situation, no one was coming to my rescue and my father would probably say I deserved this. 

\--------Zhao's POV--------

I take one last look at the banished prince chained down. I smirk slightly at what I have planned for the little traitor, giving him a warning to behave while I'm gone. I step out of my room to go greet General Iroh. When I got to the room I saw a tea set was already set up and the general was sitting at the meeting table.

"General Iroh, what a surprise to see you here." I sit and the table across from the old man

"I have come to accept your proposal to join your forces.” The old general stares down at his tea that seems to be untouched and I carefully school my face to show none of my delight. 

“What made you change your mind General?” I ask with false concern in my voice.

"Prince Zuko, he died when his ship exploded last night." The General's voice was tight as he stared into his tea. 

"I'm so sorry to hear that." Pride wells in me that I successfully removed an obstacle to my plans; however I stamp it down as General Iroh speaks up again.

"The firelord will not be pleased when he learns of who was behind the prince's death." I pause at this, he can't know I was behind it, I was very thorough in covering my tracks.

"You know who was behind the prince's death?" I phrase my words carefully, maybe he doesn't know that I was behind Zuko's supposed death.

"Pirates." He spat the word out like it burned, "We had a run with them a while back, they must have wanted revenge." Iroh was all tensed like a badger viper ready to strike.

"Well whatever the case it is a pleasure to have you on the mission, General Iroh." I set my tea down and dismiss the discussion. 

I make my way back to my quarters where I left the traitor. I pause in front of my door to listen to see if Zuko has decided to not listen to my warning and all I hear is the slight rustle of the chains. I open the door and step inside to an admittedly amusing situation the traitor prince has gotten himself into. Zuko had somehow got his leg tangled in the chains holding his hands together while looping around his neck chain, how he did it is a mystery. As soon as the door closes my new pet looks up from his bent over half split with fear and anger in his eyes. Good he disobeyed me, but that anger is something that has to be dealt with soon. 

"So I see that you have somehow tangled yourself up and disobeyed me when I told you to behave while I was gone." I watch in amusement as my new pet growls behind the muzzle I put on him earlier to keep him from biting as I told him however I was going to put it on him anyway to keep him quiet. Zuko struggles to get himself out of his predicament but only succeeded in making it worse for himself. Time to break my new pet in.

\------------Zuko’s Pov-------------

How did this happen? I wonder to myself, I was trying to see if I could get out of the chains and now I have my leg tangled up in them with Zhao standing over me. Fuck my life, I mean according to my father all my luck was used up when I was born. I growl out muffled curses to the bastard standing above me as he just smirks down at me. I try to untangle myself from the chains and it only makes the pressure on my neck worse forcing me lower in my awkward position. Zhao’s smirk gets bigger as he moves close to me after he locked his door with a decisive click. The sinking feeling in my chest threatening to take me with it. 

Agni must have truly forgotten about me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry DX. I know this chapter is short but I rewrote it like 5 times and I apologize. the next chapter will be longer.

A few days turned into a week, and that week turned into 4 weeks with Zhao. A mural of bruises and burns cover my body from where Zhao would use me as a living punching bag. He never hit my face because "it was too pretty to mess up." I don't even want to know what he was thinking then. The only thing that really changed over the few weeks is instead of half a foot of chain holding me down, I now have a couple of feet. Fighting him was hopeless with the position I was in. I had no hope of winning. That honestly didn't stop me, or the beatings that soon followed my pitiful attempts. I never tried to call for help because who would care, they all think I'm dead anyway. Besides, it's not like Zhao took off the muzzle long enough for me to try. My hope of escape dwindled with each passing day. My last chance was coming up quick and if I don't make it out in the north while he is off the ship, it will be a straight shot to the fire nation. 

\---

I know when we reached the north because Zhao was not around and I could faintly hear explosions from nearby ships as they went down. Figuring I was safe until Zhao finished his siege, I started working at the chains. I made a small flame knife with my fire bending and tried to melt the chains with very little progress. I startled when the door to the room I had been captive in bursts open revealing not Zhao but some water tribe boy. 

“Oh Tui and La, what happened to you.” the Boy ran over to me and opened a flask and bended water over to the chain to break them. 

“I was betrayed and the monster of a man kept me captive for weeks.” I told the boy as he freed me. I wasn’t planning on going with him but I wasn’t going to overlook an opportunity to escape. As soon as the chains broke and I was free, I stood up on shaky legs and moved towards the door. I looked out into the hall then back at the boy that freed me. I nodded to him and let him take lead as I got used to walking again. Stumbling after the water tribe man I followed him until I recognized the part of the ship we were on. Looking to see if the water tribe man was watching me, I snuck over to where one of the emergency rescue boats. Hopping in and dropping it into the water below I set off to get as far away from the North Pole and Zhao as possible. I got far enough away where the smoke from the ships was a line on the horizon. I ignored the changes in the moon and kept going until a blue glow caught up to me pushing me along. A calm feeling came over me, my eyes sliding shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up I will be changing the Pov to third person from her on out.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story on this website and in this fandom, if you have any suggestions or advise it is appreciated. I don't mind constructive criticism either.


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